To be Stronger
by Skins Thunderbomb
Summary: Zaraki Kenpachi wants to get stronger, and there is one way how finding out the name of his Soul Slayer! Takes place in the Soul Society Arc and after it, so Spoilers in future chapters.
1. Enter Stage Right, Soul Slayer

**AN – **I've always wondered how Ken-chan was able to reform his sword for the fight against two captains later into the manga. So I gathered that, since Ichigo was able to reform his Soul Slayer when he learned Zangetsu's name, could Zaraki be the same? So this chapter is based souly on what might've happened in between the time when Zaraki was healed and when he woke up. Don't worry, he wont actually know much about his Soul Slayer until later on in the story. Oh, and its best to play "Mike Wyzgowski – Nothing can be explained" and "Shiro Sagisu – Burden of the past" during the reading of this chapter for effect. Yes, they are both songs from the actual anime itself, so any big bleach site would have these up for download. Anyways, enjoy!

(The next chapters will be based on the storyline AFTER the Soul Society Arc)

* * *

**To be stronger**

_Zaraki Kenpachi was not one to agree to extended offers for help. Often, the 4th Squad had a lot of trouble holding the huge man down to cure his wounds after a bloody fight with hollows, or another Death God. He was a man who operated alone in his fights, and that was that. His pride would not allow help._

_After his fierce battle with the young Kurosaki Ichigo, this had changed. He had realised that the one person who was suffering most from his fights when it came to bloody wounds was not him, but his Soul Slayer. He had never taken much notice of the sword before now, convinced that it was just a tool for war. But he remembered that day the pain of not having a name, and he realised that he had made his Soul Slayer wait a very long time for its chance. _

_It was this, most of all, that made the spirit trapped inside the sword perk up her head, hope finally returning to her tired eyes. She had almost given up, and now, here was her chance…_

* * *

**1 – Enter stage right, Soul Slayer**

It was after the battle with Ichigo that Zaraki Kenpachi found himself on a hospital bed in the 4th division's Headquarters. Their leader was the only one who could restrain Zaraki to her bidding in the effort to heal, and he was lying on the bed, a worried Yachiru beside him.

The little girl stared at the captain's still form, watching his chest rise and fall in rhythm to his breathing. He seemed to be healing well now, and the girl felt a glimmer of gladness. Smiling slightly, she left her Ken-chan to his healing.

* * *

Zaraki awoke to the sound of thunder. He blinked, before taking note of his surroundings. He was lying on a cloud with a plain, dark green kimono on. It was not just any cloud, but dark grey, heavy with a storm. He supposed he was lying on its top, because above him, the sky was mercifully clear, but the colour of candy floss.

_'Where am I?'_ He wondered, sitting up and looking around. He had never seen, or been anywhere like he was now.

"Kenpachi."

He blinked at hearing his name, turning his head towards the noise. He didn't find anything, or anyone, until the voice spoke again;

"Over here."

He turned the other way, and saw for the first time a tall, olive skinned woman, wearing black combat boots, navy pants; a halter neck top patterned with army material and a black haori over the top. The combination of western clothing and Japanese seemed slightly strange, but overall, it suited the woman.

But then he noticed how torn up she looked, this included the large scar-like gashes on her cheeks, two on each side, and the three on her forehead. All of them were deep crimson.

"Who are you?" Zaraki asked after a moment.

The woman frowned at him, and didn't answer. After a moment, she jumped into the air and landed beside the 11th division captain, glaring at him with deep brown eyes.

She then slapped him hard across the face.

Kenpachi was so shocked that, as he stumbled sideways holding his cheek, he didn't think about hitting her back, but that almost changed after he felt his cheek. That _stung _dammit!

"What was that for!" He demanded angrily, now matching the glare he received from this woman.

She then sighed, and lowered her hand. "Sorry," she said, "but I at least needed to take some of my anger out for all these years …"

_All these years? _Zaraki stared at her, looking at her like she had said something in another language.

"Are you going to tell me who you are, or not?" He demanded.

She merely returned the look with an impassive expression, then folded her arms behind her back, and looked out into the pink sky as if deep in thought.

"You've made me wait a hell of a long time," she said, looking back at him sideways, "A long, painful time."

He didn't say anything, but relaxed again, turning to her.

"You hurt me a lot," she said, pointing to one of her blood red scars on her cheek, "all those times when you fought, did you never hear me screaming?"

"Screaming?" He said, and then it slowly dawned on him. "You're …"

She turned to him fully, and then looked down. "Yes. I'm you're Soul Slayer's soul."

Zaraki stared at her, digesting this news and stepping back a little. "So … this world …"

"This is your inner world," she said, waving her hand around at the pink sky and the storm cloud they were standing on. "And I'm its occupant."

"I see …" He looked down, and realised that this was the person he had practically abused due to his pride holding him back from seeing his true power … but he could not dwell on that now, and he could not let this girl make him feel guilty.

"So …" He said, looking up. "Do you have a name?"

"Yes." She said, but looked at him sadly, "but no-one knows it."  
"Oh."

They stood there in silence, only broken by the rumbles of thunder below them. It was a moment before Zaraki spoke again.

"What is your name?"

But she growled at him, storming over to him and glaring in his face (she had to look up, being shorter than the captain)

"You have a lot of guts to ask me that without even saying sorry for the torture you put me though!"

"I don't do 'sorry'," He glared back.

They glared at one another for a moment, each staring the other down, testing the other. But finally, Kenpachi sighed himself, looking at the woman, who looked up with a mixture of anger and grief. She watched him for a moment, before breaking the silence.

"It really hurt, you know." She said, turning away. "All those times I tried to make you listen to me, and you never heard me." She closed her eyes. "It's been a few very lonely centuries in here on my own."

Kenpachi looked back at her, and the woman looked up at him.

"You want to get stronger, don't you?"

He nodded.

"Then you have to trust me."

And it was then he realised that this woman was going to become the key of his powers, the key to his new strength. This woman was the only person in the universe who knew him as much as he knew himself. How could he not trust another part of his very _soul_?

And so, he nodded, and held out his hand with a small smile.

She took it with a smile of her own.

"From this day forth," Kenpachi said, "I will try a different way of fighting." He looked down a little and said quietly, "I hope you can be patient enough." It was as close to a 'sorry' as the woman would ever get.

And the woman smirked at him, taking it as such, and held the clasped hands up in between them.

"I have been patient for a long time, Ken. A little longer wont hurt … this time around."

* * *

Next up – "Chapter 2 – Shikai"

ST


	2. Shikai

**AN **– Thanks for the reviews! I had to edit this a little, and I'm still not satisfied with it, so feedback would be very helpful :D

_kesenai__ kimochi_ – Thanks for the info, but I recall seeing Ichigo and Rukia shake hands at the end of Episode 3 of Bleach, so … they must do a little hand shaking in Japan, at least.

* * *

**2 – Shikai**

Kenpachi was first on the scene when reports of Menos invasions in the West were screamed though the Court of Pure Souls. The west area was the responsibility of the 11th, 12th and 13th division, so in other words, that meant him. The 12th division were busy taking care of one of the Menos Grande, while the 13th division had troubles of their own. That left the 11th with two of the other Menos to deal with.

Zaraki held back, watching as his men rushed into battle with the two remaining monsters. He would step in if it looked like one was in danger, for he would not let any die. He knew the power of a Menos, and knew not to take it lightly.

But it was when Yachiru tried to help out, that got Kenpachi worried. His vice captain, no matter how small she was, was very powerful for her age. But she was also still the only person whom he would NEVER let anyone or anything hurt. He watched, anxious as she repelled one of the Menos's powerful blasts with her sword, before realising that if a second blast were to come down now, Yachiru would not be able to hold it off.

Panting, the little girl grit her teeth as she looked up at the monster, having just deflected the blast with great difficulty. But then she saw another coming, and her eyes widened.

Zaraki saw it as well, and he gasped as he realised it was heading straight for his vice captain. He launched into a run to try and block the next attack …

"YACHIRU!"

_The woman that was the soul of his Soul Cutter gasped and wrapped her arms tighter around herself, as her world started to shake up. She could feel Kenpachi's power threatening to overcome her again, like it had so many times before. On those times, her wounds would burst open, leaving blood staining the cloud below her, and the soul dreadfully weakened. She wondered now, after so many years of the same things happening, why she was not used to the pain._

_But she never did. Every time hurt the same as it did the first time, and the second._

Kenpachi, _she thought desperately, _please … hear my voice! I can help you defeat those monsters!

_She clung to her haori willing the man who wielded her to listen…_

* * *

Kenpachi sprinted to where the beam of light hurtled down from the foul beasts mouth, and in the instant that it was going to hit, he heard her scream.

His heart stopped.

"YACHIRU!" He screamed. Snarling, he glared up at the monster and swung his sword, managing to disrupt the energy from it enough for it to break and vanish into thin air before the full blow of it hit the girl. Unfortunately, the part that did hit Yachiru was enough, and when the dust cleared from the blast, she was lying on her front, blood all over her back.

Kenpachi swore and rushed over to her, kneeling down and gently picking her up, turning her over so he could see her face.

It didn't look good.

She was knocked unconscious by the part of the blast that hit her, and she was leaking blood from her side. He grit his teeth himself, staring at her face, one that always managed to cheer him up on sad or angry days, the one person whom he had named to be the person he wished to be like, and who had definitely become another whom he wished to have been like as a child. As he stared, hatred boiled in his heart and mind, and he let out a snarl at the thought. But first things first; he stood up and walked over to Ikkaku and handed her Yachiru, telling him to get her treatment right now. He nodded and sped off at once, while the 11th Division captain slowly turned on the spot.

"It is lucky that she is gone," He spoke in a clear voice, despite the boiling emotions in his heart, "because I cannot let her get in the way of this fight."

He held up his sword to the beast, and declared:

"I will _destroy _you!"

The Menos let out a cackle, watching as the man increased his spirit energy, and knew that he was stronger. This Menos was not like the normal ones, but his power was increased due to the Hougyoku. He was not as powerful as a Fractured Mask Hollow, but much stronger than this fellow in the tattered white coat. He prepared himself for battle …

Kenpachi increased his spirit energy, half gone on anger, when a scream rent the air. He stopped powering up at once, looking around, wondering where that scream had come from, but seeing no one. Everyone else had fled in the wake of the Captain's spiritual pressure, so who could it be …?

He looked down then at his sword, and suddenly, he was dragged into the world with the thundercloud as its ground.

"HEY!" He roared, catching site of his Soul Slayer's Soul, that woman in the strange cloths. "SEND ME BACK! I HAVE TO-"

He stopped suddenly, watching as the woman fell to her knees, blood leaking out of one of the cuts on her face.

"Kenpachi …" She gasped, holding her arm, "you promised …"

He looked at her, watching the blood drip. He had done that, without even realising it, and that wasn't even his full power!

He didn't want to think about what his full power had done to her if this was what a portion of his power did…

The woman stood up, panting, but looking at him with determined eyes. "You've got to trust me, you've got to let me fight with you, or your power will never grow!"

She walked over to him as he started shouting about needing to beat that Menos right now, and that they were wasting time, before she told him that time had frozen.

"Frozen …?" He said, shocked.

"All Soul Slayers can freeze time, but there is no time still!" She said urgently.

As she looked him in the eyes, she saw the need for power, the need to avenge his fallen Vice Captain. Her eyes matched his with equal need for power, with equal need to avenge Yachiru.

"Please …" She said.

Kenpachi could only nod as he returned to the real world, thinking fast, but with clarity. He had always fought alone; that was his way and always would be his way, before he realised just how weak he was in comparison to crazy kids like Ichigo who could kick his ass with the power of his Soul Slayer by his side. He wanted to get stronger, and here was one way. All he needed to do was sacrifice his old belief that to fight alone was the best way and only way. It was time for him to fight with his Soul Slayer too.

'_I've always fought alone, thought to be alone too,' _He said in his mind, to his Soul Slayer. The woman listened to him, waiting. '_I always thought that I would be able to be strongest on my own with my own skills! But …' _He gripped the handle of his sword. '_But now … I know that if I want to get stronger, if I want to stop causing you pain, I will have to fight with you!'_

The woman smiled slightly and nodded.

Kenpachi shut his eyes; '_please,' _He said, _'I know this has been a long time coming, but, give me your power! Tell me your name!'_

And the woman smiled fully, standing up and looking up though the pink sky, almost at him. 'Kenpachi,' she said, 'give me your power, and I shall give you mine.'

And the large man heard her, heard her voice though his blade. He nodded to his sword, and looked up at the towering Menos that got ready to attack.

"Here is my power," He said, powering up all of his spirit energy, but this time, focusing on his blade, "Now … give me yours!"

And the woman that was his Soul Slayer grinned, mustering up her powers as the storm cloud rumbled below her, taking the energy of her master and channelling it.

"Kenpachi …" She said, "my name is …"

And he heard it, looking up at the Menos and holding his sword high as the clouds overhead rumbled. "**_Annihilate …"_**

Lightning pelted down onto his blade, and he screamed;

**_"RAKIBI!"+_**

A brilliant bolt of blue lightning hit the Menos hard on the head, cracking his mask. With a roar, the Menos stumbled, holding his face as he screamed in pain.

Down below, Kenpachi glowed a deadly yellow, his sword now slightly longer, but with four blades stuck out slightly from the base of the hilt, about a quarter as long as the sword itself. The blade itself had not changed much in appearance, but there was a black half now like regular Soul Slayers, and the blade did not look like a set of cats teeth. It was whole and new looking, powerful, and sparking with blue lightning.

Kenpachi grinned at his blade, examining it. It suited him perfectly, he thought, and looked up at the Menos.

"Oh," he smirked, "did that hurt?"

Rakibi smirked too, and spoke, "Kenpachi, now you know what my power is, give me more of yours, and I shall make you stronger!"

And now, the leader with a blade now with a name, smiled wider. How could he say no now, as he felt the new strength flow though him? It was so much stronger than what he had previously, that he was almost shocked. But now, he focused his Spirit energy on his blade again, and Rakibi channelled it again, making the blade engulf itself in blue lightning.

And Kenpachi charged at the Menos, And Rakibi couldn't help but laugh and run with him too. She was so happy to be working side by side with him now, and not having to scream in pain anymore when she felt his spirit energy crush her, but now, it bathed her, and she was free to channel it as she had been born to do. And as Kenpachi slashed at the Menos, she let off a blast of channelled lightning, slicing the Menos clean in two. It shattered the beasts mask, and it disappeared into thin air.

Kenpachi panted, watching as the sky cleared again. The second Hollow had been taken care of by the 13th division, and now, Kenpachi looked at his blade again, realising that he finally had reached Shikai form. He sighed at turned to find Rakibi standing there, having come out of the blade. There were no open wounds now, and she was smiling at him.

"See?" Was all she said. It was all she needed to say for him to understand.

He nodded in return.

After a moment of stillness, his blade glowed light blue and returned to its sealed form. He smiled to himself, sheathing it and looking up at the sky. So his power was over lightning, huh? It was a good choice, in his opinion. Right now, he was glad that he gave this new way of fighting a shot, and felt elated at such a power increase simply by learning his Soul Slayer's name.

"Rakibi …" He said to himself. "So that's your name, huh?"

He turned around and headed to the 4th division to check on Yachiru, and then, he was going to go back to his room and have a good long conversation with his Soul Slayer.

He had a lot of catching up to do.

* * *

Sorry if this seemed hella corny … kinda hard to write Kenpachi :P

- Rakibi means 'Thunder burst' or something similar in latin. Couldn't find a good Japanese name, and I'm willing to bet not all soul Slayers have Japanese names, so it doesnt matter.

Here is a picture of Rakibi, also: http/ img. photobucket. com/albums/v82/Skins/Rakibi.jpg (take out the spaces)

Last up – Bankai

ST


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